Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-07-26
THE MURDER TRIAL.
THg EVIDENCE YESTERDAY DEAD AGAINST
THE ACCUSED.
The Coils Tightening Around Him Day BY Day
The Testimony in Detail-Ths
State Expect to Rest
To-Day.

Court yesterday morning. The visit to
Holiday s Cove on Saturday completely un-
nerved him. While there he seemed to
lose all hope and was as weak and nerveless
as child. His appearance yesterday did
not indicate that he had recovered his COM
posure to any great extent and there are
not wanting those who predict that he will
break down completely before the trial is
finished. As the case proceeds the feel
ing against him is becoming stronger.
Never before has any criminal in the Pan
Handle counties had to stand up under
such load of hate and execration as Ba-
ker, and it is little wonder that his iron
nerve is at last giving way under the terri
BILE strain.
| He trembled as he stood between the
blood bespattered walls of the McWha
house and looked upon the outline of his
murdered wife on the kitchen floor. The
events Of the W hole trip to the Cove and
the testimony given since have completely
destroyed his frmness, and all through
yesterday he appeared still more anxious
/
firmly around him.
DANIEL M'CLoUD,
the witness who was on. the stand when
Court adjourned Saturday evening, was
put on the stand yesterday morning, and the
examination continued by Col McSweeney.
Hetsaid: called at the Jail to see Baker,
and might have been in the Jail an hour.
When went in Baker said: Hello Dan,'
and shook hands. Soon Baker commenced
talking abont the murder, and commenced
telling about the time he went and brought
his wife's sister home. He, Baker, con-
tinued by telling witness how friendly his
wife and mother were, and how they in
sisted on every person staying for dinner
Baker continued telling witness the follow
ing story: 1T was three tramps who killed
those women, and | can prove they were
at Clifton works, and said they might he
suspicioned because they were first
to report the murder up thert."
Baker further said: albert Lee il
THE GUILTY MAN;
he committed that murder; he was at Mrs.
McWhas on Friday and had long talk
with the old lady; it was Lee who knew
where to find the bonds; Albert Lee could
tell more about the house than ] could; he
could tell them where to find everything
needed to dress the bodies" At this point
Dan Swearingen came in and he and Baker
had good many sharp words. Swearin-
gen refused to shake hands with Baker, and
Baker said: 81 suppose you can't take me
by the hand because
KILLED YOUR AUNT AND NIECE"
Swearingen said, at is supposed you did
kill them and would have killed my wife,
too, il she had got i'll the kitchen door"
Witness said to Baker, What about
Eliza's shoes under the bed, with blood on
them, as that would kill the theory about
them being killed at night, that she had
put them there" He remarked: 81 have
no idea they were killed at night; we have
given up that theory. Why, there WAS
lots of time from o'clock until dark for
them 10 have been killed" He Baker
told witness that he could prove by sam
Ralston he had been in the orchard at .
o'clock and had left the house before 3
o'clock, and he did not think that the
murder could have been committed in the
twenty minutes time.
Cross-examned by defense McCloud said:
81 was not at inquest; had my fiIst c0nvcr-
sation with Baker shortly after noon; am
sure he told me he got off ut Golfers; he
did not tell me he and his wife were in the
orchard when those two ladies called do
not know what he stated TO the corOner's
Jury; he did not say who he went up on
the train with, but did say he got off at
Golfers; did not 20 10 the Jail to inter
view him, and would not have mentioned
the murder if he had not
BROUGHT 1T Up HIMSELF.
He described the men who came To rent
the field; one of them had mark on his
hand with India ink; one of them was q
low heavy set man, and the third was also
low and heavy set, with sandy hair he said
Lee said they would find the bonds in box
under the bureau; he did not read 10 me
anything about the finding of the bonds; j
first talked with Dan Swearingen about
what heard Baker say; the talk about the
shoes took place after Cunningham came
into the cell. Cunningham is the iailor.
SHERIFF Il. 4. LINDSAY.
The dresses, caps, etc, belonging to the
murdered women were given into my
possession by Squire Lee; have in my
possession also newspaper and bonnet
obtained at the house of the victims on last
Saturday; | found the bonnet on q chair
and the newspaper was on the window.
wM. sSIDER.
Live at Holidays Cove, half mile from
the scene of the murder; was on Monday,
May 9Th, on the section east Of the vic
TINS house; saw prisoner on that day; he
walked past where was working; he was
going east carrying satchel; we spoke to
each other; it was Is minutes OF 3 by our
time; our time is 3S minutes slower than
Steubenville time; after he passed me he
went ON towards Holidays Cove Station.
Cross examined working on track
OF Browns house and all the other houses
along the road.
| WILLIAM DAVIDSON:
| The article Of agreement we used for the
stable was Paddy Mudd's old article; they
told Us il was Paddy's old article; from
the time we got 10 the house until the
time we left was probably p minutes or
half an hour.
| CONDUCTOR HESS FERRELL:
On the 9th of May was passenger con-
ductor on the Panhandle road; on above
day was running train from Steubenyille
to Pittsburg; have had prisoner as pas
senger on my train; / had him on that
day; he went to Hanlin's Station; got on
at the Cove; before that day while on the
train he was very sociable; was well se-
quainted and shook hands with every
body; he knowe me and always spoke to me.
J That afternoon / was out on platform and
l looked a. We came to Cove; saw Baker
at station with satchel in his hand; be
did not speak TO me; nor did / see him
speak to any one else; he walked into the
car and took his seat and remained there;
next saw him the next morning, when
be got ON at Hanlin's station; did not
see him get on; when l first saw him he
was on the train ON his way back, there
was something in his manner that attract
ed my attention; he seemed 10 be very
nervous; he was sitting looking at the
window Of the coach, and when went for
his ticket he reached it out sideways like,